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C. HOERL. RAILWAY SWITCH.

" No. 557,545. Patented Sept. 15, 1895.-

35 portion of the track containing the switchllNrrnn STATES Fries.

Arne-ir CONRAD HOERL, OF NEW'ARK, NEV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALE 4TO STEPHEN J. MEEKER, OF SAME PLACE.

RAILWAY-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 567,645, dated September 15, 1896.

V Application filed May Z8, 1895. Serial No. 550,915. (No model.)

Be it known that I, CONRAD HOERL, a citizen of the United States, and` a resident of Newark, Essex county, and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railway-Switches, of which the following description, taken in connection with the drawings herewith accompanying, is a specification.

This invention relates to the switch-operating, mechanism and more particularly to that class whichis arranged and adapted to be operated from the car by the driver, motorman, or other car-operator, through the medium of j suitable 'devices supported on the car, in a manner to impart such motion to the switchtongue as to direct the car upon a branch track or continue the same upon the main track, as may be desired.

The object of my present invention is, in part, to provide a simple, effective, and inexpensive device or mechanism for connection with the switch-tongue whereby the same may be moved or operated from the carin the manner as above referred to, and be automatically locked in position after being so operated. This object I secure by means of the construction and combination of parts hereinafter referred to,and pointed out in the claims. 3o Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a plan view of a portion of a railway-track at the switch-point, showing my improved device in connection therewith. Eig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of a tongue and its operating device shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a sectional View through line 3 3 of Fig 2. Eig. 4t is a bottom view of the construction as shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a side 4o elevation of one end of a car partly in section, showing a preferred form oi' attachment or appliance for connection with the car to operate the switch-connecting device; and Fig. o is a front or end view of the same taken through line 6 6 of Fig.

To explain in detail, c represents the maintrack rails of a, railway, a' the branch-track rails, and b the pivoted switch-tongue for eon necting said main and branch rails. 5o In the present instance shown I have provided a plate c, upon and to which certain of the parts forming the switch-operatin g mechanism are adapted to be formed or connected, and which is adapted to be firmly seated in the road-bed at a point adjacent to the switchtongue, as shown in Fig. l. On this plate at a point about central between the rails and opposite the end of the switch-tongue is located a horizontally-movable pivoted plate or head d, termed the switching-head, which 6o has connection on its under side with a rod or lever e, connected with the switch-tongue, and forms the part which is adapted to be engaged by the switch-operating attachment on the car to shift the switch in a manner as will be 5 described.

The head d, in the present instance shown, is of substantially a triangular form and pivoted at one of its angles, in orderto present two edges or surfaces (ZCZ, arranged atan angle 7o to each other in such manner that when one side or edge is engaged to be moved to throw the connecting switch,.the opposite edge is thereby moved into operative position to be engaged to return the switch.

Two longitudinal ribs or guides c c', arranged parallel with each other and to the line of the track and iaring at 011e end to form an enlarged mouth or receiving end between the same, are located upon the plate c 8o at opposite sides of the switching-head and serve, in combination with a wedge-shaped plate or projection c2, located on the plate c, adjacent to the pivotal angle of the switching-head, to guide the switch-operating at- 85 tachments when lowered into operative position from an approaching car to insure their proper engagement with the switching-head, as will be obvious.

The switching-head is provided with a cir- 9o cular plate or projection d2 on its under side, which is seated and operates within a correspondin g seat or opening in the plate c, which forms the pivotal bearing for the said head. This pivot-plate d2 is provided with two ec 95 centrically-arranged pins or projections cl3 cl3 on its under side, which extend through a camgroove e in the switch-connecting rod or lever c, as more clearly shown in Fig. 4, and are adapted, when the pivot-plate is oscillated `in 10o its bearing by the shifting of the head d, to operate within said groove and move the connecting rod or lever e longitudinally and thereby shift the switch-tongue, and also, when the latter has been so shifted, to positively lock the same from movement, except as operated from the switching-head, by holding the. cam-lever from longitudinal movement, this latter feature being secured by reason of one of the pins being moved and located in that part or end of the groove which extends in a direction substantially at right angles to the length or line of movement of the lever, as clearly shown.

The lever or rod e is held in operative connection with the head d or part thereof, in the present instance shown, by means of a pin d4, which passes through the pins cl3 and supports the lever c from its' under side. Any suitable means other than shown may be employed for the purpose, however, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 5 and 6, in which I have shown a preferred form of attachment or device adapted to be carried by the car for operating the switching-head d, 77, h represent two levers which are pivotally supported in a hanger or bracket f on the under side of the car-platforinf, with one end projecting forward and terminating in a horizontally-arranged foot 7L', which latter are movably held in a normal position sufficiently high above the road-bed to avoid any obstacles by means of a spring h2, acting on a rear arm or extension h3 of the lever, but which, when the car approaches the switching-head d in the road-bed, are adapted to be depressed to contact with the plate c and be properly guided thereon to engage with the said switching-head and operate the same in a manner as before described. These levers are each provided with an arm or extension h4, which extends upwardly to a point adjacent to the platform, at which point they are pivotally connected with short rods h5, which latter extend upward through suitable openings in the platform in a convenient position where the driver or 1n otorman may press upon the same with his foot to depress the feet h in operative position to engage with the switching-head d, the said feet lt being automatically returned to their normal position, after the motorman removes his foot from. the part h5, by means of the springs h2.

The switching-head CZ, as herein illustrated, is formed with the edges d', having inwardlycurved or cut-away portions d5 d5 in order to allow for the free operation or movement of the feet h of the operating attachment between such head and the guide-rib c', and prevent locking or binding of such foot between said rib and the pivotal center of the switching-head, as would be liable if not provided against by the construction set forth.

Having thus set forth my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. In a switch-operating mechanism, the combination with a movable switch, of a pivoted switching-head, and a rod or lever connecting said switch and head, having a camgroove therein which receives a projection on said switching-head whereby the switch may be operated and automatically locked, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a switch-operating mechanism, the

combination with the movable switch, of a supporting plate or casting seated in the roadbed between the rails, a switching-head pivotally supported on said plate, and a rod or lever connecting at one end with the switch and at its opposite end having adouble camgroove therein which receives a projection on said switching.- head, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a switch-operating mechanism, the combination with the movable switch, of a switching-head having two sides or edges arranged substantially at right angles to each other and pivotally supported at its point of angle, and a rod or lever connecting said switch and switching-head and having a double cam-groove therein which receives a projection on said switching-head, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a switch-operating mechanism, the combination with the movable switch, of a pivoted switching-head provided with two pins or projections on its under side, a rod or lever having a cam-groove therein in which said pins or projections extend and operate, and having connection with the said switch, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a switch-operating mechanism, the combination with the movable switch, of a supporting plate or castin g seated in the roadbed between the rails and provided with a switching-head supported thereon, and with means for guiding an operating device with relation to said switching-head, and a rod or lever connecting said switch and switchinghead and having a double camegroove therein which receivesa projection on said switchinghead, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

CONRAD HOERL.

Witnesses:

CHAs. F. DANE, A. L. HAYES.

IOO

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